When walking through the Guido Gezellelaan in Bruges, number 36 might not seem that different from its neighbors. Only a subtle sign – Kind of OJ – on the front door alerts you that something might be going on here. However, first looks can be deceiving. Once the front door of Kind of OJ opens, it’s instantly clear: this is nothing like your typical hotel in Bruges. The majestic hallway, where statues of half naked punks by Rotterdam design label Nightshop greet you, gives you just a first impression of all the wonders that are waiting here for you. Welcome to Kind of OJ: part bed and breakfast, part gallery, part showroom, and all kinds of surprising.

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Jo Hoeven’s parents bought this house in the year 2000 with the intention of turning it into a hotel, when the city of Bruges put a stop to those plans. For a while they lived in the spacious house themselves, until they eventually decided to sell it. That’s when Jo, who studied interior design but ran a supermarket for nine years, unfolded his ambitious plans to turn the 19th century building into an avant-garde bed and breakfast unlike anything you can find in the city of Bruges. Nowadays, Jo Hoeven lives with his wife Eleonore, their daughter Tattou and dog Nelson on the top floor. Below, they invite guests, architects and fans of unique design to dive into the intriguing Kind of OJ universe.

Convinced he wouldn’t be able to do the kind of projects he desired, Jo didn’t venture into interior design when he graduated.  However, he has definitely made up for lost time with this project. Kind of OJ is his own private laboratory for interior experiments of all kinds. Together with Karel Loontiens, the man behind ecological building company “Aardig gedacht”, Jo formed Studio LoHo. Under this name, the duo creates bath tubs and washstands in clay, wardrobes that oppose veneer and leather within a steel frame and taps in cast brass. They also created magnetic kitchen fronts that can be interchanged in no time and a giant organic dining table, made out of a grafted lime & plane tree that survived the bombings of World War II. The two obviously have no issue coming up with new ideas, so it’s safe to say that with every visit to Kind of OJ, you’ll be surprised with something you’ve never seen before.

But kind of OJ is not only a lab and showroom for Jo’s own interior experiments, it’s also a gallery for remarkable design and art. Jo often teams up with two fellow inhabitants of Bruges, who share his love for Belgian design and forgotten names: design antiquarian Thomas Serruys and design trader Dries Vanlandschoote The result is a collection that includes a specular obelisk by Michel Martens, clay furniture by Maarten Baas, Disco Dish lamps from Bertjan Pot, wooden furniture designed by Dom Hans Van der Laan for his churches, colorful paintings from Fleur de Roeck, bold wooden furniture by Pierre Chapo and luxurious sheepskin carpets by Carine Boxy.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be invited by Jo and Eleonore to discover Kind of OJ myself during a weekend filled with art, design, food and friends. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably caught the overload of Instagram stories I posted of this wonderful place, rightfully displaying my excitement when exploring its every corner. With such an impressive collection of art and design, you might think it would feel like a museum, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. While Kind of OJ is nothing like your average hotel, we all felt perfectly at ease there right away. The colors, textures, the humorous art and surprising design, the attention to detail, Jo and Eleonore’s warm personalities, the delicious food and Nelson’s quest for affection – staying here was an absolute dream. (And then I’m not even talking about those amazing bathtubs yet…)

Bruges is not that far from home for us, but Kind of OJ took us to another world, where every item, even the most functional one, is carefully chosen for their design and high quality – and they’re all for sale. Jo created a place where you can discover one gorgeous element after another and fall in love over and over again. Whether it’s a design detail, an artwork or a piece of furniture – they all come with a story even better than the next.

Needless to say, our stay here made a big impression on us, just have a look at No Glitter No Glory for a look at Kind of OJ through Patricia’s lens!  Care to discover it for yourself?  Book a stay here, or contact Jo here to find out more about Kind of OJ.

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This stay was kindly gifted to me by Kind of OJ.  All opinions are 100% my own.  Thank you for supporting partners that allow me to introduce you to new destinations!